Overview

External reference objects, such as survey data, can be used to align scan projects with real-world coordinates. This data can be imported through both SCENE interfaces.

Survey Data Format

SCENE will recognize COR, CSV, and TXT survey data formats. Each row of the survey data file should contain a single reference point with the following specifications: name, x coordinate, y coordinate, and z coordinate.

If you are using a TXT file, data must be separated by the same type of separator, which can be a blank space, a colon, a semicolon, or a tab.

Verify Measurement Units

The measurement units of the import setting must match the units of the data being imported. This setting can be checked in both interfaces.

Workflow Interface

Click the Settings icon on the top-right of the window.

Click Import on the left side of the window.

Choose the measurement unit of the survey data to be imported.

Classic Interface

Click Tools > Options in the main menu.

In the Options window, click the Units tab and select the correct measurement unit in the Import menu.

Importing Survey Data

You can import survey data by dragging the file from your desktop onto the white area of the Structure tree. You can also import survey data through both SCENE interfaces.

Workflow Interface

Click Import Surveyed Points on the Registration ribbon.

Navigate to the folder containing the survey point data. Click the file to be imported and click Open. Note: You may have to adjust the file-type filter to make sure the survey data file is visible.
Note: TXT files can not be imported with this method. They have to be dragged and dropped from the desktop to the Structure tree.

In the dialog box, choose which structure level should contain the imported points.
Note: Importing data on the workspace level will make that data available to the entire project. Importing data on the cluster level will restrict data to a specific cluster.

A References folder will appear in the structure view.

Classic Interface

Click File > Import in the main menu.

Navigate to the folder containing the survey point data. Click the file to be imported and click Open. Note: You may have to adjust the file-type filter to make sure the survey data file is visible.
Note: TXT files can not be imported with this method. They have to be dragged and dropped from the desktop to the Structure tree.

In the dialog box, choose which structure level should contain the imported points.
Note: Importing data on the workspace level will make that data available to the entire project. Importing data on the cluster level will restrict data to a specific cluster.

A References folder will appear in the structure view.

Survey Data and Project Structure

When using survey data to align or transform your project, you can protect the registration of the project's individual scans by moving them into a cluster.

To create a cluster, follow these steps.

Right-click the project folder and click New > Cluster.

Enter a name for the new cluster in the Name field of the cluster properties box and click OK.

The new cluster will appear in the top level of the Structure tree.

Click the icon next to the original scan cluster and drag it into the new cluster.

Note: Clusters can be created on any level of the project structure tree and moved as needed.

Registering Scans with Survey Data

Once survey data is imported, SCENE will prioritize reference points in the registration process. To successfully register scans, you will need correspondences between at least three scan targets and the imported reference points. You can register and verify these correspondences during the registration process using the steps below.

Workflow Interface

In the Registration ribbon, click the Registration icon next to the scan cluster to be registered andclick Start Automatic Registration.